Advertising device



Aug. 2, 1932. o. ULRICH 1,870,077

ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Aug. 11. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l I/VvE/VTO R OTTO L/LRYC/J Aug. 2, 1932. O.'ULRICH 1,870,077

ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Aug. 11, 1931 ZSheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 2, 1932 nmrsn stares Parana @FFME o'r'ro Unitron, 0F cnoNBnnG-oN-rHE-rA NUs, GERMANY ADVERTISING DEVICE Application filed. August 11, 1931, Serial No. 556,362, and in Germany August 14, 1930.

The'present invention relates to an advertising device which may be adopted in all kindsof table, accessories, such as ash-trays, match-stands, wine lists and menu cards'and 5 the likeas publicly displayed in hotels.

This device is first and foremost intended to appeal to the playful instinct of everyone inasmuch as the apparatus is to be operated 'bythe person handling it. 19 The efi'ect of advertising matters as known heretofore are more or less uninteresting since they do not arouse the curiosity of the observer. This also applies to mechanically actuated or illuminated advertising matters it? asused for example by business houses.

This inefficiency is entirely removed by the present invention due to the fact that the interested person himself, by actuating a driving mechanism is able to set an advertising strip in motion. The band provided with i the advertisements contains mainly entertaining and amusing matters of interest to thepublic, such as for example, anecdotes, news cartoons, fashion news, travelling information, plan of theatres, varieties and cinemas and the like intermixed with advertisements. By pressing down the operating lever once, various pictures are caused to appear behind the windows on all sides of the apparatus and will be seen by the visitors. The invention in general, thus relates to picture bands, as ref-erred to above, actuated by a special driving mechanism and caused to proceed in such a manner that various pictures are continuously shown simultaneously in all'the windows The picture strips used according to the invention are alternately unwound from one reel and wound on another.

These reels areso operated over a change gear wheel that the picture band moves over special guide rollers behindythe windows of thedevice. When the strip has run to the end in one direction, the end of the band effects ,a release in the empty reel, said release causingthe drive to be changed in such a manner that the band is caused to travel in the opposite direction when the same lever movement is executed. 1 c

The nature of theinvention is embodied in this action, namely, that the film band is caused to travel first in the one direction and then in the other by actuating the driving lever as desired, a mechanism being released as soon as one of the reels is empty, which in turn causes a snap catch to operate and the gear wheel mechanism driving the reels to be switched over, causing the band to travel in the opposite direction.

A spindle with steep threads on which a nut may be moved up and down by means of a cog wheel coupling over a toothed wheel constitutes the drive for the reels.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings.

Figs. 1 and 2 show respectively a side and plan view of the device,

Figs. 3 and 4 are views of the device with the casing removed, Fig. 3 showing the guide rollers and Fig. 4 the bearings for the driving lever separately.

Figs. 5 and 6 are views in horizontal section. Fig. 5 showingthe relative positions of the guide rollers and the band guide together with the lever arrangement and Fig. 6 the relative positions of the driving wheels.

Fig. 7 shows the driving spindle together with its coupling.

Figs. 8-14 show aview, plan and section of the film spools in two positions together with the change-over device, i. e. the position it takes up when engaging and disengaging the driving wheel when the film band is wound and unwound. Figs. 13 and 14 respectively represent sections on the line A-B of Figs. 8 and 11, whereas Fig. 9 is a plan and Figs. 10 and 12 views from below.

Fig. 15 shows an enlarged view of the lever switch for the alternating drive of the film spools, and

Fig. 16 the device in. reverse position to that shown in Fig. 15. t

The advertising device comprises a casing 1 provided with a window a, 011 each side. The bottom of the casing may be of any desired shape. A top plate 2 carriers an ashtray 3 together with a match box holder 4. The bottom portion 5 is closed by a plate 6 so that a false bottom is formed in which the toothed wheels of the switch drive are fixed.

The lever 7 projects out of a slot in the easing 1 and moves downwardly into the position indicated by dotted lines when the knob 8 thereof is pressed down.

lVithin the casing 1 and on the false bottom 5 a double wall 9 is fitted forming a cylindrical space in which the driving spindle 11 is mounted. The two wall portions, 9, 9 form the bearing for the lever 7, which is loosely suspendedat 12 by means of a pin 15 to the two levers 13 and 14. The walls 9,9 are provided with an opening 16 so asto make the lever more accessible during sembly. The lever, at 17, carries a counter weight so as to ensure that its knob8 is always raised again after having been depressed or that the forked end 19 which carries the coupling 18 is brought to its lowest position and thus prepared for further operations. The coupling 18 constitutes a hollow cylinder through which the spindle 11 is passed. The not 20, the teeth 21 of which engage the teeth 22 of the coupling 18, runs on the spindle. The forked end 19 ofithe lever 7 is shown enlarged in Fig. 7, in which it is plainly. seen how the coupling 18 pivots on the pin 23 but yet is mounted so as to be non-rotatable in relation to the spindle 11. The weight of the nut 20 causes it to rest against, the teeth of the coupling 18. When the lever 7 is moved by pressing the knob 8, its forked end 19 is lifted upwardly. The nut20 cannot rotate due to the fact that it engages theteeth of the coupling 18 with the result that the spindle 11 is forced to rotate carrying with it in its rotation the toothed wheel 24, mounted on its'lower end. The knob 8 is now released whereupon the weight 17 causes the fork 19 together with the coupling 18 to fall. The nut is then disengaged from the teeth 22 and drops on the spindle thread of the coupling. The friction between the spindle and the nut causes said nut I to travel down the spindle slower than the dropping coupling 18 with the result that only upon the coupling reaching its bottom position can the nut again engage its teeth so that both members are prepared to carry out the operation afresh, i. e. to drivethe spindle and consequently also the toothed wheel 24 as soon as the lever 7 is depressed.

The point 25 of the spindle-11 is pivoted at26ain a corresponding recess in the arm 26 (Fig. 3-the fixing of this arm 26 will be fully explained in a later paragraph) and its point 27 in a bearing 28 arranged in the cover plate 29 which partitions ofi the space 10 and is riveted in position. This plate, at

\ the same time, by means of its two free ends 30 and.31,'serves as a spring bearing for the guide rollers. 32 and 33. In the same manher a covering plate 34 is fixed to the walls 9, furnishing a spring bearing for the guide rollers 37 and 38 (Figs. 5 and 3) by means of its two free ends 35 and 36. The points of the rollers 32, 33, 37 and 38 are readily fitted toothed wheel 24"o'f the spindle 11 is positioned in relation to the toothed wheel 42 so that the spool 39, mounted over this wheel, rotates with it. In this position the lever 26 which provides the bearing point 25 for the spindle 11 and which ispivot-ed at 43 has dropped down in the plane ofthe drawing.

If the lever 26 is'raised the toothed wheel 24 engages the othertoothed wheel 44, thus rotating the spool 40 disposed over saidwheel and causing the film band to run in the opposite direction.

In Figs. 15 and 16 maybe seen enlarged Views of the drive which facilitates the alter-' nate movements on the part of the lever 26.

It comprises a flat bar 53, slidably arranged between the two pins 45 and 46 on the plate 6. This bar is suspended by means of the lug 47 6. Due to it being slidably arranged, its longitudinal slot 50 fits over the pin 49. The lever arm 52, pivoted at '51 to the bar 53, and urged by the spring 48, causes said bar '53 to press the edge 54 of the lever arm 52 continually against the point of the lever 26 which alternately strikes against either the pin 45 or pin 46 according to the positi'onof the lever 52 in the manner indicated in Figs. 15 and 16.

' and the spring 48 to a pin 49 fitted in the plate M Additional steps 55 and 56 determine the two...

extreme positions of the lever 52 in relation to the bar 53 which,'on changing over, always presses against'the lever under the-action of the 1 spring 48. This .slidable spring-type bearing of the snap drive is-necessary when the lever 26 is thrown from one position over to another. This movement takes place in the following manner:

The shafts 59 and 60 are mounted on the base plate 6 in'the projections 57 and'58.

The toothed wheels 42 and 44 together with their sleeves, 61 and 62 are mounted on these shafts, said sleeves serving as bearings for the spools 39 and 40; The sleeves and spools rotate loosely in opposite directions and are interconnected by means of a bolt or pin 63 slidably mounted in the spool; (This action will be described later.) The end of the film band, fastened to the empty spool, moves the interconnected spoola'further-three quarter revolution and on this rotation of the pin 63 which is of such a length that it projects under the toothed wheel, comes to rest against the arm 64 of the lever 52 and thus turns-the lever on its pivot 51 (Fig. 15) During this movement the lever, together with the bar 53 which presses with its edge 54 against the point of lever 26, is pressed down by this lever 26 and forces the lever 52 into the position shown in Fig. 16 with the aid of the spring 48, causing the lever 26, carried on its pivot, also to drop into this position i. e. according to i Fig. 16. The bearing 26a, with the spindle 11 and the toothed wheel 24, is thus switched over, with the result that this now engages the toothed wheel 42 opposite to the previous positionand according to Fig. 15. The spool 39 is .now broughtinto action and winds the film thereon, whereupon the hand which is placed around the circumference of the spool automatically withdraws the pin 63 from the toothed wheel 42 and thus wfhen the other spool is empty, causes the coupling for the change-over to perform its operation there. When the spool 40 is empty, its bolt 63 will be placed against the shoe 65 by means ofa cam .66 of the lever 52 (Fig. 16), with the result that the lever 52, according to the plane of the drawing, (all the levers are fitted horizontally in relation to the plate 6 in the device) must swing upwardly when the same operation for the change-over into the position accordingto Fig. 15 is carried out as described in conjunction with the previous changing-over operation.

The description given above shows that, by actuating the lever arrangement according to the invention, a spindle movement is obtained which forces the other drives to cooperate automatically with each other and cause an alternative operation in such a manner that the film band is displayed to the user of the apparatus in the one direction as well as in the other as compared to previous devices in which the band runs continuously in one direction only, whereas the other direction serves to restore the band to its original spool.

Finally the engaging and disengaging movementof the spools with their associated toothed wheels according to the invention is shown. This action will be explained in conjunction with the spool 39 according to Figs. 8-14.

The spool is provided with an open portion 67 through which projects a vane 68 i fastened to the bolt 68. The bolt is set under the pressure and rotating action of the spring 69, disposed in a groove so that the vane 68 is adapted to swing out of the opening and in toward the spool. The bolt 63 is mounted in a sleeve 70, firmly fixed in the spool. Under the action of the spring 69 the vane slides on the cam 71 of said sleeve 70. Itmay be seen from the drawing that, when the vane has swung inwards, it is set in its top position and the bolt is withdrawn and does not project over the lower surface of the toothed wheel 42. The spool and the toothed wheel are thus coupled in the manner shown in Figs. 8 and 10 but the pin 63 is unable toencounter the correspondingarm of the lever 52. The Figs. Hand 12 indicate in which; manner the vane 68 swings out ofthe opening 67 and the pin 63 pro jects downwardly. height that they fit into the lighted portion of the casing 1. 'In orderto cause the film band to be wound and unwound under a definite tension, the reels are in the uppeinends provided with a braking device 73 of known type which slides onthe inside of the cover plate of the casing 1. 77

According to the height of the reels, rods 74 of corresponding length are inserted in the ends of the film band so as to facilitate l the fixing of the band 41into the groove 75 (Fig. 9). The film issues through theslot 76 as will be seen in Figs. 13 and 14- Fig. 18 shows the manner in which the wound band presses the vane 68 into the opening 67 against the action of thespringas indicated by the arrow 7 7. How the vane is adapted to swing out freely when the spool is empty is clearly seen in Fig. 1 1. In this position the pin 63 is depressed so as to cause the change-over as illustrated in Fig. 11.

What I claim is:

1. An advertising device comprising, in an 'inclosing case, having windows in its side walls, two reels, a gear wheel coupled to each of said reels, a picture band wound upon one of said reels, guide rollers arranged to guide said picture band along said windows to the other of said reels, a counterweighted lever havinga forked end, a coupling pivotally mounted on this end, and adapted to engage with a nut movable on a vertically arranged threaded spindle, a pinion mounted on said spindle and engaging with a gear wheel coupled to one of said reels and a switch gear adapted to automatically disengage said pinion from said gear wheel and engage it with the gear wheel coupled to the other of said reels when the picture band has been wound on said first reel and unwound from said edge against the point of said first lever, two gear wheels arranged to be alternately engaged by said pinion, the arms of said second lever extending under said gear wheels, and means to couple the gear wheel I engaging with the pinion to the corresponding arm of said second lever to switch both said levers over and engage the pinion with.

the. other gear wheel, substantially as set forth.

3. All advertising device comprising in The reels are of such a foo ios

windows, a lever operated spindle having 7 I combination an inclosing case having vvin dows in its side Walls, two reels having gear 7 Wheels coupled to them, a picture ban-d: se-

cured to both 'said'r'eels, guide rollers arranged to guide said picture band along said a pinion mounted on it and'journaled inone arm of a lever, the otherarm of said lever having apoint resting againsta sliding edge provided on a second lever pivoted ona slid-v N able bar, a spring acting to urge said edge f against the point of said first lever, armson said second lever extending under the gear Wheels coupled to said'reels, in each reel an opening, a sleeve inserted in each reel having a cam provided on its upper end, a bolt in said sleeve, a vane secured to said bolt and resting on said cam, 'a spring acting to turn said vane out of said opening and press said bolt down to encounter the corresponding arm ofsaid second lever, substantially as set forth. 1

v In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name.

7 OTTO ULRICH. v 

